Pangaea

Chef/Owner: Butch Raphael

Chef Butch Raphael states that he has three passions in his life - family, food, and travel. Over the past two decades, he’s had the opportunity to travel to five different continents, observe their diverse cultures, and experience wonderful foods. Through these adventures, he’s come to realize that the truth of a culture is expressed in the food of the common man.

Chef Butch’s career as a chef began at the Marriot Corporation Old Main Restaurant at Southern University in 1992; but it carried him to restaurants in Tucson, Egypt, Israel, New York and finally to Atlanta where he is chef and owner of Pangaea. It’s been Chef Butch’s goal to bring the world to his customers in the form of food. He has spent his life exploring the many ways in which people are so different, and how much we are all the same when it comes to food.

Well versed in vegetable and ice carving, Chef Butch holds a B.S. degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management from Southern Illinois University and an A.O.S. with honors in Culinary Arts from Culinary Institute of America.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste. Spread desired amount of mayo on your choice of bread. Put tuna mixture on bread. Press in a countertop grill or panini press until bread is toasted. Add lettuce and tomato.

Amount of ingredients may vary depending on the size of bread you choose to use.

Grilled Vegi Panini

2 portions

Marinade

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

4 grilled thin slices of eggplant

8 grilled thin slices of zucchini

6 oz. roasted red pepper

4 oz. provolone cheese

sundried tomato mayo

2 oz. olive tapanade

2 oz. arugula

1oz. thinly sliced red onion

pesto as needed

your choice of bread

Directions:

Toss eggplant and zucchini in marinade immediately before grilling. Spread sundried tomato mayo, olive tapanade, and pesto on bread. Place grilled vegetables, roasted red peppers and provolone cheese on bread. Put sandwich in a panini press or countertop grill until cheese is melted. Remove sandwich from grill and add arugula and sliced onions to sandwich.

Amount of ingredients used varies per sandwich depending on the size of bread that you choose to use.

Chocolate Panini

2 sandwiches

4 oz. milk chocolate chips

sliced Challah bread

whipped cream

Directions:

Place chocolate chips on bread. Leave a ¼ in around the edges free of chips. Put a second piece of bread on top of the chips. Put sandwich in a panini press or countertop grill for approximately one minute, until bread is toasted and chocolate melted.

Served sliced in half garnished with whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruit.

Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Panini

2 sandwiches

3 oz. fresh mozzarella

6 thick slices of tomato

pesto

2 oz. arugula

salt and pepper to taste

bread of your choice

Directions:

Spread pesto on bread to your liking. Put mozzarella and tomato on your bread and season with salt and pepper. Toast in a panini press or countertop grill until toasted and hot. Put arugula on sandwich and eat!

Pesto

1 lb. basil

4 oz. parmesan cheese

1 qt. olive oil blend

salt to taste

1.5 gallons boiling water

salt to taste (enough to make the water taste like the sea)

ice bath

Directions:

Put basil in rapidly boiling water for 50 seconds or until wilted and a bright green. Place directly into an ice bath. Remove from ice bath and squeeze out water. Place in blender with parmesan cheese and half of the oil. Blend; slowly add the rest of the oil and season with salt and pepper.

This recipe makes a restaurant-sized batch of pesto. You can make one half or one quarter of this recipe. Any extra pesto should be refrigerated with a light covering of olive oil and will keep a week or so.